Convalescent shoe



May 6, 1947. N. HACK CONVALESCENT SHOE Filed May 3, 1945 INVENTOR. NEThiaax Arraengsf Patented May 6, 1947 CONVALESCENT SHOE Nathan Hack,Detroit, Mich., assignor to Hack Shoe Company, Detroit, Mich., apartnership Application May 3, 1945, Serial No. 591,653

Claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel surgical shoe for use oninjured feet and particularly in cases of injury to the heel.

The principal object of the invention is to provide for adjustment ofthe shoe at both front and back to compensate for changes in the size ofswelling, bandages, casts and the like. This object is accomplishedgenerally by the use of a split at both the back and front of the upper,in each case extending preferably as far as the sole. Thi arrangement isparticularly advantageous at the heel base inasmuch as it permitsadjustment along the entire height of the heel. Moreover, the heelportion of the upper is left in a soft condition by omission of therigid conventional counter and, if desired, substitution of soft upperleather or conventional hard split counters.

In order to leave the heel structure of the upper in an entirelyunrestrained condition, the tongue for the back split is fastenedbetween the inner sole and heel base so that it clears the back slitcompletely. In a preferred construction the upper is slit laterally fromthe extreme lower end of the back slit, and the lower end of the tongueis passed outwardly through the slit and then inserted and fastenedbetween the insole and the outsole of the shoe.

Each of the slits or openings is provided with two rows of eyelets. Theouter rows are used for normal lacing and the inner eyelets when thefoot is swollen or enlarged. A stagg ed arran ement of the eyelets maybe desirable for the purpose hereinafter set forth. A slide fastener maybe provided along each side of the upper to permit taking off andputting on the shoe without disturbing the laces.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a shoe built according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section; Figure 3 is a section onthe line 3-3 of Figure Figure 4 is a detail elevation of a modification,and

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the shoe.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characterswhich are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figure 1 is shown a shoe having, as usual, an insole I, an outsole 2and a heel 3 of any suitable construction, such as a plurality of layers2 fastened beneath the outsole at the heel end thereof.

The upper 4 of the shoe consists preferably of a soft material and issplit at -5 along the front center downwardly through the vamp 6substantially as far as the insole I, in the manner of a bicycle shoe,surgical shoe or the conventional blucher type shoe. At each side of theslit or opening 5 is provided a row of eyelets spaced closer than usualto the adjacent edge of the opening. A similar row of eyelets 8 isprovided at a slight distance outward from the eyelets I for a purposethat will presently be described. Corresponding eyelets I and B arehorizontally staggered.

The upper 4 is approximately the height of a conventional boot, althoughthe height may be determined according to the purpose or case for whichthe shoe is to be used. At the opening 5 there is provided a tongue 9within the upper and having its lower end fastened preferably to thevamp 6. The tongue herein disclosed is of the loose type but may ifdesired be of the bellows type having its longitudinal edges fastenedrespectively to the sides of the opening 5.

The back quarter of the upper 4 is also slit vertically at Ill downwardthrough the heel and substantially as far as the insole I. The heelportion of the upper does not have the usual stifi counter and can bereinforced on the inside by a soft split heel grip I I or a conventionalhard split counter at each side of the slit or opening Ill. The splitheel grip affords the necessary degree of reinforcement in this quarterarea, Without discomfort, and serves also as gripping pads. As at thefront, two rows of eyelets I2 and I3 are provided at both sides of theopening I0 and staggered relatively to each other. The side edges of theinsole I and lining I may be arched upward at I4 if desired. I

At the extreme lower end, or at the heel seat,

. the opening I0 is widened at I5 at both sides.

The tongue I6, disposed within the shoe, has its lower end disposedadjacent to the widened end of the slip I5 and inserted and fastened, asshown in Figure 2, between the insole I and the outsole 2.

One of the principal uses of the shoe is in connection with heelinjuries such as bullet wounds. In such cases it is highly desirable toavoid restraint in the heel area of the shoe and to provide forexpansion along the entire height of the heel. It is now evident thatthese qualities are incorporated in the shoe herein described. The slitor opening I0 along the entire height of the heel is unrestrained by thetongue due to the fact that the lower end of the tongue is not attachedto the upper but rather to the soles.

The outer rows of eyelets 8 and I3 are used in lacing the shoe when thefoot is not excessively swollen or enlarged by a cast. The lacing thenhas a substantially normal appearance. However, in case of swelling or acast foot, the inner rows of eyelets I and I2 close to the openings 5and in are used, thereby permitting a larger actual opening than if onlynormally positioned eyelets were provided.

Along each side of the shoe is provided a slide fastener l1 permittingthe shoe to be put on or taken off the foot without disturbing thelaces. This arrangement is particularly desirable when a careful andaccurate adjustment of the shoe by means of the laces is required for aseriously injured and sensitive foot and where lacing and unlacing wouldbe painful to the patient.

In Figure 4 is shown a modified arrangement of eyelets. An inner row andan outer row are provided at each side of one or both openings, aspreviously set forth. The eyelets I8 of the inner row are horizontallyalined with the eyelets IQ of the outer row rather than being staggeredas in the first described construction. In the staggered arrangement,however, spacing of the eyelets in each row is greater than in thealined arrangement so that less eyelets are required. In normal ornearly normal lacing the laces may be threaded through the eyelets -8 orthrough both sets of eyelets I and 8, furnishing close lacing in thelatter case. For a wide opening however only the inner eyelets 1 areused.

Although specific embodiment of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that various alterations in the detailsof construction may be made without departin from the scope of theinvention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim 1. A surgical shoe comprising an insole, a relative stiffoutsole and an upper, said upper having a split at the front and at theback, the back split extending entirely from the top of the upper tosaid sole, a tongue in the shoe at each split, the tongue at the backsplit having its lower end fasten-ed between said insole and outsole,whereby to clear the lower end of said back split.

2. A surgical shoe comprising an insole, a relative stiff outsole and anupper, said upper having a split at the front and at the back, the backsplit extending entirely from the top of the upper to said sole, a.tongue in the shoe at each split, said upper being slit laterally fromthe lower extremity of the back split, the tongue at the back splitcovering said slit and inserted and fastened between said insole andoutsole.

3. A surgical shoe comprising a sole and an upper, said upper having asplit at the front and at the back, the back split extending entirelyfrom the top of the upper to the said sole, a tongue in the shoe at eachsplit, the tongue at the back split having its lower end fastened tosaid sole, whereby it is free of the lower end of said back split, theheel portion of said upper being relatively soft, and a soft heel gripwithin said heel portion at each side of the back split.

4. A surgical shoe comprising a relatively stiff sole and an upper, saidupper having a split at the front and at the back, the back splitextending entirely from the top of the upper to said sole, a tongue inthe shoe at each split, said upper being slit laterally from the lowerextremity of the back split, the tongue at the back split covering saidslit and fastened to the heel portion of said sole, the heel portion ofsaid upper being relatively soft, and a soft heel grip within said heelportion at each side of the back split.

5. A surgical shoe comprising a sole and an upper, said upper having asplit at the front and at the back, the back split extending entirelyfrom the top of the upper to said sole, a tongue in the shoe at eachsplit the tongue at the back split having its lower end fastened to saidsole, whereby it is free of the lower end of said back split, and aslide fastener along each side of said upper from the top thereofsubstantially to said sole.

NATHAN HACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS are of record in the Brit Dec. 14, 1916

